Staple-making machine



March 17, 1925..

F. L. HARMON STAPLE MAKING MACHINE Fild Feb. 20, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 17, 1925. 1,530,362

F. L. HARMON STAPLE MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20. 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6.

Patented Mar. 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT forties.

FRANK L. HARMON, or BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, nssrcnon, TO umrnnsnon MA- CHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0' NEW JERSEY; r

STAPLE-MAKING MACHINE."

Application filed February 20, 1919. Serial No. 278,154;

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK L.'HARIMON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county ofvEssex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Im provements in Staple-MakingMachines, of

which the following description, in conn'ecs tion with the accompanying drawings, 1s,a

specification, like reference characters on the drawmgs indicating like parts 1n the several figures.

This inventionrelates to apparatus for making'staples and has forits general 0bject the provision of improved mechanism of simple construction which will produce staples rapidly and economicallyand will be reliable and generally satisfactory in operation, I I

Another object of the invention is to devise mechanism for producing staples ofthe;

general type which the machine disclosed in Patent No. 1,282,225, granted on my copending application Serial No. 12,142, filed March 4, 1915, is adapted to insert for at taching buttons to shoes, such a staple being disclosed in my Patent No. 1,262,782, granted April 16,1918. To this end, an important feature of the invention resides in the provision of improved means for automatically forming a blank into a staple having a recess in the bar of the staple constructed to receive the eye of a shank button. In accordance with the invention, the

mechanism forms the recess in the bar of the staple with a substantially straight elongated longitudinal wall upon which the bar of the staple with stock engaging portions joining the, recessed portion of the bar with the legs and adapted to lie fiat on the stock. aspects is not restricted to use in making staples of this particular form, and important features'of the invention reside in the general organization provided for movlng the blank transversely into the field of operation of devices which bend the ends of the blank substantially at right angles to the intermediate portion of the blank to form;

points on theends'of the blank.

Preferablyv and as illustrated, the blanks are moved into the field of operation of the the blank into; a staple and forswaging bendin and swa in devices b mechanism 0 D b I The invention, however, in various member and carries it forward with saidmember and said devicesare arrangedwith their ends interposed in the path of move ment of the ends ofthe blank and operate to bend the ends of the blank to form the blankinto a staple and to swage anchorshaped points on the ends of the blank. As shown, also, the movable member is-constructed to serve as a die for'shaping'the central portion of the blank which constitutes th'ebar of the completed staple, and the extent-to which the. bar of the staple is swaged by the die and the,;mechanis1n for pressing the blank against the face of the die is capable of being regulated by-adjust- The die and the pressing mechanism are preferably formed with aligned grooves which prevent displacement of the blank relatively thereto and also determine, under certaincondit ons ofoperatlon of the die, I

the. cross-sectional co-ntour of certain por--' tions of the bar of the staple. The movement of the die away from-the field of operation of the staple forming devices is limited in such manner that thepressing means a is withdrawn from the face of the die thus permitting the discharge of thecompleted staple. I

Other objects and features ofthe. inven tion relate to various combinations'and arrangements of parts and will appear as the description proceeds the appended claims. In the drawings :-v

Figure 1 isva view-in perspective of my improved staple/making machine; Fig. 2 1s an enlarged view ln-detail showing the wire guide, the cutter, and the staple.

forming instrumentalities in the relative positions which they occupy at the point in and be pointed out in the cycle of operations of the machine at i which the feeding of thewire is completed; Fig. 3 is a' detailed Viewv of the dies for shaping the bar of the staple showing the wire blank gripped the-rebetween;

Fig. 4 is a viewshowing the bar of the staple shaped by the dies, the dies having been moved forwardly and the ends of the wire having been bent along the sides of one of the dies by the swaglngdcvices; Fig. 5 is a view showing the swaging de vices moved forwardly to pressthe ends of the blank closely against the sides of one of the dies and .to swage points on the ends of the blank; and

Fig. 6 is a view of a staple produced by my improved staple making machine.

'In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the frame 2 of the machine is provided with bearings 4 and 6 in whichis journaled a drive shaft 8, upon which are mounted the driving pulley lOandithe cams 12, ii, 16 and 1a.

In a part '20 0f the frame 2, hereinafter sometimes termed the wire guide is formed a passage '22 through which "passes the stock in the form of a wire A from which the staples are formed. Retrograde movementof the wire A in the passage 22 is prevented by a clutch 24 which comprises a ball or the like received Within a tapered recess 26 formed in the wire guide at one side of the passage 22 and so arranged that retrograde movement of the wire A in the passage 22 tends to move the ball toward the restricted portion of the recess thereby wedging the wire against the opposite wallof the passage 22. A spring 28 supplements the action of-the wire in moving the ball toward the restricted portion of the recess upon retrograde movement of the wire and yic'lds'to permit forward feeding movement of the wire. The clutch 2st is oi a form commonly denominated a Horton clutch and the construction and mannor of operation of such clutch devices is well known, for which reason a more complete description of the clutch is deemed unnecessary;

Means areprovided for feeding the wire A through the 'passa-ge 22-oi the wire guide 20, and, as shown, such means comprises a bar 30 extended laterally from the wire guide 20 and having mounted thereon a sliding block 32 formed with a wire passage 34 and provided with a Horton clutch indicated at '36. lVhen the sliding block 32 is moved toward the wire guide 20, the clutch 36 grips the wire A and feeds the wire forwardly through the passage 22 of the wire guide, whereas upon movement of the block 32 rearwardly, the grip of the clutch 36 on the wire A is relieved, and the wire is gripped by the clutch'2 l oi the wire guide 20 so that it is prevented from partaking of the rearward movement of tl e block. The block 32 is moved forwardly by the raised part 38 of the cam 18, the motion of the cam being transmitted to the block by a bar 4:0 slidably mounted in a channeled bracket 42 carried by the frame 2 and provided at 4-1 with rack teeth geared to a sector gear 46 which, in turn, is geared to the block 32 through the instrumcntality of a toothed bar 48 depending from the block 32. ltearward movement of the block 32 to grip the wire Apreparatoryto a succeeding feeding movement of the wire is effected by a spring 50 seated in a recess formed in the channeled bracket 4'12. The spring 50 operates on a foot 52 depending from the slide 40 vand co-acting with an adjustable screw 54. The movement of the block 82 rearwardly can be varied by adjusting the-screw 54 thereby to regulate the extent of the feeding movement imparted to the wire A.

The wire guide 20 is formed with a recess in which is securedthe hardened shear plate Means are provided for ec-operating with the shear plate 56 to sever "from the wire A the lengths or blanks of wire which are to he "formed into staples. As shown, said means comprises a putter 58 recessed intoaslide 60 which 'is mounted on the wire guide 20. A eam roll 62 on the slide 60 rides on the surface of the cam 16, the slide being operated positively by the cam 16 in a direction to effect severance of :the blank from the wire A by the cutter 58. The slide fiO and cutter 58 are retracteda'tterthe severance of the blank from the wire by a spring 64: acting against a shoulder formed on the slide 60 and a shoulder 66 on the wireguide-20. The mechanism thus far described constitutes in itself no partot the present invention and maybe made of any suitable character without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

The means whereby the blankcut off from the wire A by the cutter 58 is formed :into a staple will nextbedescribed. Preferably, and asshown, said means comprises a movable member 68 against which the blank is pressed by aplunger 70 and swaging devices 82 and 84 tor-bending the blank. The operating means for the plunger comprises aslide 72 into which the plunger 70 is recessed, said plunger 72 carrying a roll T l acted upon by the cam 14 to move the plunger 70 positively toward the member 68. he plunger 72 is; maintained against the surface of the cam 14L by any suitable means. Consequently, the cam l l gives to the plunger 70 a constant range of movement predetermined by the degree of eccentricity of the cam. The member 68 is normally urged toward the plunger 70 by a spring 76 recesscd into the member 68 and operating against a lug 78 projecting upwardly from the frame 2. The movement of the member 68 under the impulse of the spring 76 is limited by the engagement of the end wall of the recess with the lug l8 and the movement of such member in the oppositedirection is adjustabl-y limited by a stop in the form of a set screw 80. The lug 78 maintains the member- 68 in a position such that when the wire A is ied l erwardly by the block 32, the portion of the wire which constitutes the blank which is to be formed into a staple is projected across and in close proximity to the face of the member 68. The plunger 7 0 is thrust forward by the cam leconcurrently with the severance of the blank from the wire A in such manner as to grip or press the severed blank against the face of the member 68. The cam 14: continues-theforward movement of the plunger subsequently to the gripping of the blank between the plunger and the member 68, and the blank and the member 68 are thereby-carried forwardly in opposition to the spring 76.

' The swaging devices 82 and 84 are interposed in the path of. movement of the ends of the blank when moved by the plunger 7 0 and are operable to bend the ends of the blank substantially at right angles to the adjacent portions of the blank to form the blank into a staple. As shown, such devices are so formed and so operated as to swage anchor-shaped points on the ends of the blank To this end, the swaging devices 82 and 8% are provided with beveled portions 85 extending outwardly beyond their sul stantially plane faces 86. The shear plate 56 and cutter 58 are so formed as to sever the blank with substantially square ends and upon engagement of the beveled portions 85 of the swaging devices 82 and 84' with the ends of the blank, the material at the ends of the blank is forced outwardly, whereby substantially anchor-shaped points are formed on the ends of the blank, as in dicated in Fig. 6. Points of the character with which the staples produced by my improved machine are provided possess conspicuous advantages, among which may be cited the fact that they resist to a superior degree the separation of the staple and the stock into whichit is inserted.

As shown, the movable member 68 serves as a die to impart to'the bar of the staple the desired longitudinal contour. It is deemed preferable to form the blank into a staple'having a recess in the bar of the staple constructed to receive the eye of a shank button and to permit the shank button to be adjusted on the wall of the recess in the direction of'the bar of the staple, wherefore the die 68 is formed with a recess 88 having its base 89 formed as a substantially straight portion elongated relativelyv to the width of the lips 90 formed on the die at each vside of the recess 88. The recess of the bar of the stapleis formed'in the recess 88 of the die and of corresponding form. In order that the ends of the bar of the staple at the sides of the recess may be caused to lie flat against the surface of the stock adjacent to the recess as well as at other'points so as to prevent the eyes of the button from wedging under the ends of the bar the surfaces of the lips'90 which shape the ends of the bar are arranged substantially at right angles to'the sides of the recess 88. The plunger also operates as a,

die and is provided with a projection 92 which'is constructed and arranged to fit into the recess 88 of the die 68. vThe lips 90 of the die 68 and the projection 92 of the die 70 are preferably, and as shown, provided the blank relatively tothedies 68 and 70 after it has been engaged thereby.

Thestop preferably operates to discontinue the forward movement of the die 68 at a. point such that the face of the die is spaced from the face of the die 70 when the latter is at the forward limit of its movement by avdistance less than the thickness of the blank. The blank is consequently compressed or swaged between the face of the die 70 and the base 89 of the recess 88 and the faces of the lips 90 of the die 68 to an extent determined by the position of the stop 80, it being apparent that the sooner the die 68 engagesthe stop 80, the greater is the compression of the blank by the dies. The blank is thus flattened and the crosssectional contour of the blank changed except where it'is engaged in the grooves 94 and 96 which are preferably made of a transverse size equal to or a little greater than half the area of a cross-section of the blank; In the operation of the illustrated construction,therefore, the inner surface of the blank at the shoulders lOOand the outer surface of the wall 98 of the recess in the bar of the blank are flattened, whereas the I outer surface of the blank at the shoulders 100 and the inner surface of the wall 98 of the recess of the blank are made rounded or convex. It is, particularly advantageous to form the shoulders 100 of the blank with flattened inner surfaces since such portions of the staple constituted by the blank are thereby permitted to fit closely upon the stock, and the staple is thus enabled to take a firmer grip on the stock. It will be apparent that the stop 80 may if desired be adjusted so as to permit the die 68 to partake of the full forward movement of the die 70 and that in such a case, the blank will be shaped or swaged only as to its longitudinal contour and will not be compressed to an extent to swage it transversely or to change its cross-sectional contour. c

The swaging devices 82and 84 are carried by arms 102 and 104 pivoted respectively at 106 and 108 on the frame 2. The arm 102 is provided with a cam roll 108 which is engaged by thecam' 12 in a manner such as to move the. swaging device 82 in a direction to swage a point on the end of the blank. The arm 102 is moved in the opposite direction by suitable means (not shown). The arm 104C :is provided with a cam roll 110 which is operated by the cam 118 .to move swaging :device 84 into engagement with the otherend oi the-blank. Reverse movement of the arm 10 l'is e'itectediby a spring 112 operating against the trame2 oi the machine. @he swaging -devices and 84czare seated .in arecesses formed in the .arms 102 :and 10% :respectively and arearranged to be adjusted in said recesses by screws 114- and to be maintained in the positions of adjustment'to which they may be moved :by lockin screws 116. Adjustment'of the swaging devices 82 and 81 :relatively to .the .arms .102 and 104: respectively permits the movements of the swaging devices to be so regulated that they may be brought into such relation with the sides of the die 7021s properly-to swage the ends of the wire.

Ashelt 118 is provided :on the frame .2 at the sides of the dies 68 and 70 opposite the wire guide 20. 'lihe shelf is rounded as indicated :at 120, 2, so that it the projecting length of wire should tend to sagatthe-end, it will be cammed upwardly by the surface 120 oi the shelf 118 .into proper relation vwith the dies 68 and 70 so as to enter the grooves 94 and 96 of said dies when the dies are brought together upon the wire.

The cam 1a which operates the die 70 is so formed as to permit the .die 70 to be moved rearwardly :away from the field oi? operation of the swaging devices 82 :and Slto an extentsuch as to withdrawthe die 7 0 from the die .68 subsequently to the engagement of the die 8 with .the lug 78. The withdrawal of the die 70 li1'011l\tl1e=Cll6 68 releases the grip of the dies on the blank which at this stage of the cycle of opera tions of the machine is formed into the completed staple. Despite the release of the staple by thedies68 and 70, it may not be properly discharged trom the machine but may adhere to the plungeror die .70 and be withdrawn with said die from the die 68. To the end that the vvproper discharge of the staple may be assured, means are provided for engaging the staple subsequently to its release by the dies 68 and 70 and vtor detaching it from the .die 70. Rreterablyand as shown, suchmeansrcomprises a plate 122 which may conveniently be formed ot' sheet metal. The plate 122 is secured to the frame, 2 of the machine .at 124 (Fig. 1) and is formed with a bifurcated end 126 which embraces the end of the plunger 70.

.A plate 128 secured to the frame .2.over liesand confinesthe slides and 72.

The operation of the machine will, it is believed, be fully comprehended from the foregoing description, but may be briefly summarized as follows. Upon the rotation of the main shaft #8 :the rraised portion 38 of the eam .18 is brought "into operative engagement wvith thesslide A0 thereby moving the :sliding blocks 32 in .a direction to feed the wire n 1 through the passage 220i the wire :guide 20. -When the feeding movement hi the wire .A :has been :completed and simultaneously with the .-retraction of the slide 32 preparatory to the feeding of another length of wire, the cutte1r58 is thrust forwardly by the .cam :16, and severs the projecting lengtluot wire :against the shear plate'i56. The .die or plunger 470 is :moved forward by its -.cam 14 synchronously with the forward:movementof the cutter 58, and the projection 92 of-the die 'TO engages the length or blanket wire between the .lips 90 on the die 68 ;prior to the completion of the severance of the wire by the cutter 58, whereby displacement of the blank subsequent-to its severance from the wire A is prevented. Such ,position of the ;parts is incicated in ,1 ig. .1. A t .such point in the cycle of operations of .the machine, .the swaging .devices 82 :and s4 are till their retracted positions and are retained in such positions as the die T0 is advanced .relatively to said .swaging devices. hen the cutter 58 has been :thrus't forward far enough to complete the severance .from .the wire A of the .blank which ISEtO :be formed into a staple, the forwardanovement of the cutter ceases but :the movement of the die by the cam :15: is.continued. The :initial ettect oi the movement :of the .cam 70 'is to bend the ,blank somewhat into the irecess 88 of the-die .68. .Further movement of the die 70 causes tthe [die 68 .tobe movedagainst the gradually increasing resistance of .the spring 76, and the .blank is bent more and more .into the .recess .88 .of the die 68 as the .dies are advanced. The :advance of the dies brings .the ends of the blank into engagement with the .swaging .devices 82 and Set, the endsof whichare interposed in the path of movement of .the ends of the blanks when moved forwardly by the -.dies 68 and .70,:and continued anovement of the dies causes :the ends of the blank to be bent along the sides of the die 70 sub stantially .at right angles to the adjacent portions of the'blank. AstheQdies 68 and 70 approach the limit of their movement in ai'orward direction, .the swaging devices 82 and .8 rbcginslowly to move inwardly toward.thesidesof the .dieITO. TheJdie '68 strikes against the set screw 80..a'fter which a slight further movement of the die 70 finally shapes the central ,portion of the blank, which 'is gripped by .the dies and which constitutes the bar of the completed staple, in the recess of the die 68. The

swaging devices 82 and Z84 then complete their inward movement and swage the ends of the blank, thereby forn'iingpoints on the posed in the path of movement of the ends.

-dies on the wire.

tively low portionof the cam 14 tovmove rearwardly, thus permitting movement of the dies 68 and 70 away from the field of operation of the swaging devices 82 and 84. During the first part of the backward movement of the die 70, the die 68 is caused to follow the die 70 by the spring 76 and consequently the staple remains gripped between the dies. Movement of the die. 68 is, however,'limited-by the lug 78 and,

after engagement of the die 68 with the lug 7 8, the die 70 is moved away from the die 68, thereby releasing the grip of the to the die 70 subsequent to the release of the staple by the dies, it is brought by the movement of the die 70 into engagement with the detaching or knock-oft device 122.

The feeding block 32 is then again operated-to feed the wire forwardly and the operation of the machine is continued as hereinabove set forth. v i

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. In a machine ofvthe class described, means for gripping a blank comprising a plurality of elements, means for moving the gripping means, swaging devices interposed in the path of movement of the ends of the blank when moved by the grip-ping means and functioning to bend the ends of the blank against the sides of one of the elements of the gripping means, and means for operating the swaging devices to form points on the ends of the blank.

2. In a'machine of the class described, means for gripping a blank between its ends, means for moving the gripping means, swaging devices interposed in the path of movement of the ends of the blank when moved bythe gripping means, each of said swaging devices comprising a beveled portion, and means for operating the swaging devices to move the beveled portions there of into engagement with the ends of the blank thereby to form points on the ends of the blank.

3. In a machine of the class described, means for forming a blank into a staple comprising complementary dies for shaping the central portion of the blank which constitutes the bar of the staple, means for moving said dies, swaging devices interof the blank when moved by said dies and serving to bend the ends of the blank sub stantially at right angles to the central portion of the blank and along the sides of one of said dies, and means for operating 11m szwaging devices to form points on the If the staple adheres 4. Ina machine. of the class described, means for forming a blank ,into a staple having a recess in the bar of the staple constructed to receive the eye of a shank button said means comprising a diev formed: Wit a recess of a shape similar to the re cess to be formed in the bar of the staple, means for pressing the blank intothe recess of the die, means for moving the pressing means and the die thereby to move the blank, swaging devices interposed in the path of movementof the ends ofthe blank and operable to bend the 'endsof the blank substantially at right angles to the adjacent portions of the blank, and-means for operating the swaging devices toform points on the ends of the blank.

v 5.; I11 a machine of the class described, a frame, means carried by said frame for forming a blank into a staple having arecessin the bar of the staple constructed to receive the'eye ofa shank button, said means comprising a die formed with a recess of a shape similar to the recess to be formed in the bar of the staple, means for pressing for moving the pressing means and the die thereby to move the blank, swaging devices pivotally; mounted. on the frame forwardly of the face ofthe die, said devices being theblank into the recess of the die, means interposed in the path of'movement of the v ends of the, blank and being operable to bend the endsof the blank substantially at right angles to theadjacent portions of the blank, and means'for operating the swaging devices to form points on the ends of the blank.

6.In a machine of the class described, means for forming a blank into a staple comprising complementary dies for shaping the central portion of the blank which con- 1 stitutes the bar of the staple, means for moving said dies, and means for bending the ends of the blank substantially at right angles to the adjacent portions of the blank and for forming points on the ends of the staple, said bending and point-forming means being interposed in the path of movement ofthe blank when moved by the dies and said dies being provided with. transverse aligned grooves to prevent displacement of the blank relatively to the dies.

7. In a machine of the class described, means for forming a blank of round wire into astaple having a recess in the bar of the staple constructed to receive the eye'of a shank button, said means comprising means for bending the ends of, the blank substantially atright angles to the central portion of the blank thereby to form a staple, and complementary dies constructed to form the portions of the bar of the staple at each sideof the recess with substantially plane inner surfaces and to form the wall of the recess extending in the direction of theend portions of thebar with a substantially plane outer surface:

8. In a machine of the class described, means for gripping a blank, means formoving the gripping means, swaging devices interposed in the path of movement of the blank when moved by the gripping means, and means for operating the swaging devices to form substantially anchor-shaped points ontheblank.

9. In a machine of the class described, a die provided with a recess having a substantially straight, elongated wall extendin'gin a plane parallel with thespaced operat ive end faces of the die and connected therewith by plane surfaces arranged at right angles to thewall', and means movable toward the die for forcing the blank material into the die recess and against the said end faces and for bending the ends of the blank a-ngularly' of the intermediate portions of the'blanlt at points spaced from the recessed portion of the blank to form a staple having a bar provided with a rectangular recess to receive the: eye of a shank button so that the latter may adjust itseltt on the recessed portion of the bar,

said staple being further provided through the operation of the said end faces of the i die With stock engaging'portions connecting the recess and the legs of the staple and adapted to lie flat on the work.

10: In a machine of the class described, means for forming a blank into a staple having a; rectangular recess in the bar of the staple constructed to receivethe eye of a shankbutton, said means-comprising com-- plementary dies, one of said dies being formed with a rectangular recess and the other of said dies having a projection formed thereon constructed and arranged to fit into said? recess, said first-mentioned die being provided with grooves in its operative end face at each side of said recess and extending in a directiontransverse of the recess, said last-mentioned die having its projecting portion formed with a groove arranged to a line with the. grooves of the first-mentioned die, and means for bending the" ends: of the blank.substantially at right angles to the recessed portion of the blank FRANK L. HARMON 

